By Idongesit Ashameri / Correspondent, Uyo
Communities within the Eket/Ibeno Road project re-awarded by the Akwa Ibom State Government after years of neglect by ExxonMobil have been charged to remain calm, as all hope is not lost concerning the completion of the project.
The acting paramount ruler of Eket Local Government area, Obong E.C.D. Abia, gave the assurance in Eket during an interaction with journalists on project tour to his palace.
Although acknowledging that the slow pace of work was enough to provoke disaffection, he maintained that the people must not lose hope, ?assuring that if the present administration fails to complete the
project, it will be among the first projects to be commissioned by the next one.
The royal father, who however expressed dissatisfaction at the attitude of contractors handling the project since it was awarded by the present administration, stressed the importance of the road to the nation’s economy.
He expressed optimism that the state government cannot afford to abandon such an important road, and urged the people to be patient with the government.
Abia also called on the traditional rulers in the state to make their impact felt positively in governance in their different environments, saying there was need for royal fathers to work in
collaboration with the local government councils.
The place of traditional fathers in effective governance, according to him, cannot be over emphasised.
The Eket /Ibeno road, the only access to the ExxonMobil QIT, has been in a state of disrepair during the past 10 years.
There were promises by the oil company with award of contract to calm restiveness before the state government decided to take up the project.
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